Hinge for coach and automobile bodies.



F. CRAWFORD & W. WHITELEY. HINGE FOR COACH AND AUTOMOBILE BODIES.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 18, 1911.

Patented Jafi. 2, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 14 [iii/75555.9

F. CRAWFORD & W. WHITELEY. HINGE FOR COACH AND AUTOMOBILE BODIES.APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 18, 1911.

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FRANKLIN CRAWFORD AND WILLIAM WHITELEY, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT,

ASSIGNORS TO NORTH & JUDD MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF NEW BRITAIN, CON-NECTICUT, A CORPORATION.

HINGE FOR COAOI-I ANDAUTOMOBILE BODIES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 2,1912.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, FRANKLIN CRAW- FORD and WILLIAM WHITELEY, citizensof the United States, residing at New Britain, in the county of Hartfordand State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Hinges for Coach and Automobile Bodies, of which thefollowing is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in hinges for coach and automobilebodies, and the objects of our improvements are simplicity and economyin construction and convenience and efficiency in use.

In the accompanying drawingFigure 1 is an end elevation of our improvedhinge.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig.

3 is another end elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation ofthe same. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 6 is a view similar toFig. 1 with the moving element opened outward. Fig. 7 is a sectionalview on the line 50 w of Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line3/ 11 of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of the post member.F ig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of the same. Fig. 11 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 2' of the door member. Fig. 12 is an end elevation ofthe post plate member. Fig. 13 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 14is an end elevation of the closing plate. Fig. 15 is a side elevation ofthe same. Fig. 16 is a side elevation of the closing plate in positionin the post plate member, closing the slot or recess therein. Fig. 17 isa side elevation of the same.

A is our hinge and comprises a post member B and a door member Cpivotally united by a pivotal pin D. The post member B is suitable forbeing embedded generally in a post of a coach or automobile andcomprises a post plate member E and a knuckle member F secured theretoby screws G. The

post plate member E comprises the postleaf 15 which is a plate-likemember, rectangular in shape, provided with holes 16 for holding screwsand is provided with a relatively large recess or slot 17 extending fromthe front lateral edge 20 rearward for the greater part of the width ofthe plate or leaf 15, and the exposed face is cut away at the corners 19of the said recess 17 and front lateral edge 20 to fit and suitably toreceive the ends 21 of the supporting plate 22 of the knuckle member F.The corners 19 are provided with threaded holes 23 for receiving thescrews G and are suitably reinforced on the post side 24 by bosses 25.The slot or recess 17 is bordered on the rear lateral edge by arelatively narrow wall 26, by parallel walls 27 along the top andbottom, and is normally closed on the lateral edge 20 by the saidsupporting plate 22 of the knuckle member F, which bridges the front endof the recess 17. In special cases the slot 17 may be closed by aclosing or filler plate H to be described. The knuckle member Fcomprises the said supporting plate 22 provided with screw holes in theends 21 for receiving the screws G, and has a knuckle arm 28 extendinginward suitably for being received in a mortise in the post and which isprovided at the inner end with a plurality of knuckles 29, which latterare axially bored to receive the pivotal pin D. e prefer to have the endknuckles on the said knuckle member F, and to have the pivotal pin Grremovable, the same being headed at the upper end, and the upper end ofthe bore for the pin countersunk as shown at 80. The said knuckle arm 28is located adjacent the front lateral edge 20 and is directed at rightangles to the plates 22 and 15. Furthermore, as described, the screws Gthat hold together the post plate member E and knuckle member F are alsolocated adjacent the front lateral edge 20.

The door member C is a unitary structure and comprises the door-leaf 31at one end, the knuckle arm 32 at the other end, and intermediatethereto the supporting arm 33. Considering the normal closed positionshown in Fig. 5, the knuckle arm 32 extends inward an appreciabledistance in alinement with the said knuckle arm 28 on the knuckle memberF, the knuckles 29 intermeshed and engaged with the pivotal pin D and atthe free end joins the supporting arm 33, and the latter arm is areshaped, curving outward, concentric with the pivotal axis, the free endthereof extending through the recess or slot- 17, and merges into theinner face of the door leaf 31, the latter, being parallel andessentially in abutment with the post leaf 15. The door leaf 31 isprovided with screw holes 34:.

As described, a free movement of over 90 degrees is provided for thedoor memher relatively to the post member. The extent of the movement ofthe same is limited by a shoulder 35 on the back wall of one of therecesses between the knuckles 29 of the door member C, preferably asshown, the

middle recess 36, whichreceives the middle.

knuckle 29 of the knuckle member F, and which shoulder 35 in the openposition engages with the said middle knuckle 29. The line of travel forthe supporting arm 33 across the recess 17 is at the same point, andadjacent the rear lateral wall 26 of the post leaf 15. By making thedepth of the arm 33 correspond to the width of the slot 17 as shown, thesame will fit between the top and bottom walls 27, particularly at thebearing points, and the curved arm 33 in its travels will ride on thelower of the walls 27 and be supported thereby, and this will be thecase with our hinge used either as a right hand or as a left hand hinge,because, as described, our hinge is reversible, and adapted equally aswell for left and right hand use. As shown in Fig. 1, the edge of thedoor leaf 31 just clears the screws Gr, wherefore the screws Gr may beremoved with the hinge elements in the closed position, which is aconvenience in use. Our hinge, as stated, is also separable by removingthe pivotal pin D. M

By removing the screws G the door member C and the knuckle member F,united by the pivotal pin D, may be separated from the post plate memberE as a unit, and this is done at some seasons of the year or on specialoccasions, especially in the case of automobiles, when the vehicle is tobe used without the doors. In this condition the slot 17 is entirelyopen and exposed and likewise the cut away corners 19 with the screwholes 23 for the screws G, are uncovered and exposed. Under these conditions the opening in the supporting post provided for a housing andworking space for the knuckle member and door member is also exposed, acondition that is objectionable and undesirable, and we overcome thiscondition by providing the filler plate H already referred to. Thisfiller plate H has a body 40 that is a fit for the slot 17 and at thefront corners has ears 11 that fit the cut away corners 19 and whichears are provided with screw holes 42 that register with the threadedholes 23, the front end 413 corresponding generally to the supportingplate 22 of the knuckle member F and being suitable for replacing thesame in bridging the corners 19 and completing the front lateral edge2O. Accordingly, the filler plate H provides a means for closing theslot 17 when the knuckle member F is removed from the post plate memberE and the means of support for the filler plate are the same as are usedfor supporting the knuckle plate when in use.

Our hinge as described is provided with a plurality of intermeshingknuckles, and the curved arm by its engagement with the adj acent edgesof the recess in which it travels, cooperates with the knuckles insupporting the door, and the same is suitable for use for the doors forcoach and automobile bodies.

\Ve claim as our inventio-n:

A hinge comprising a post member and a door member pivotally united, thesaid post member comprising a plate member and a knuckle member securedthereto by screws, the said plate member comprising a leaf having anopen slot extending from the front lateral edge rearward, and means forreceiving the said screws at the corners on each side of the said slotand adjacent the front edge, and the said corners suitably reinforced bybosses, 'Whereby' the said knuckle member serves to bridge the front endof the said slot, and to support the said door member from adjacent thefront edge of the said post leaf.

FRANKLIN CRAWVFORD. WILLIAM WHITELEY.

Vitnesses ILLA F. HOFFMAN, R. J. P. NUss.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, 7

Washington, D. C.

